Ho shou wu, also known as polygonum multiflorum, purple wu vine, nightshade vine and so on. It is a perennial twining vine plant of the genus Polygonum, family Polygonaceae, with fat, long oval, black-brown tuberous roots. Born in the valley scrub, mountain slopes under the forest, ditch side stone gap. Produced in southern Shaanxi, southern Gansu, eastern China, central China, southern China, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou. Its tuberous roots are used in medicine to calm the spirit, nourish the blood, activate collaterals, detoxify (intercept malaria), and eliminate carbuncles; the preparation of shouwu can replenish the essence and blood, black hair, strengthen the muscles and bones, and tonify the liver and kidneys, and it is a common and precious Chinese medicine.

Distinguish between ginseng and He Shouwu: ginseng root is fat, shaped like a spindle, often forked, the whole appearance is quite similar to the human head, hands, feet and limbs. He Shouwu root tuber fat, long oval, black brown. Stem twining, 2 to 4 meters long, multi-branched, with longitudinal ribs, glabrous, slightly rough, the lower part of the lignification.

Platycodon grandiflorus

Trait identification characteristics of cylindrical or fusiform, the lower part of the tapering, slightly twisted, 5-20 cm long, 0.7-1.5 cm in diameter; the surface of the yellowish-brown or light yellow, slightly twisted with wrinkled longitudinal grooves, and transverse lenticel-like mark and branched root scars; reeds are not divergent, with a semilunar reeds bowl. Light, brittle, uneven section, forming a layer of brown ring, the skin part of the white, light yellowish white wood. Odorless, slightly sweet taste, later bitter.

Taste and effect bitter, pungent, flat. Promoting the lungs, inducing diuresis, expelling phlegm and draining pus.

Use and dosage 3-10g.

This plant is called milk ginseng, mostly born in mountain slopes, forests, river valleys and other shady and wet places, some people also say that this plant is similar to sweet potatoes, so they also call them milk potatoes. Because the milk cucumber after breaking will have white milk out, so people have this name. The roots of this plant alone are worth a lot of money, generally speaking, the wild milk ginseng roots will be sold to 200 yuan a catty.

There's a reason it's so expensive, it's not only similar to ginseng, even the nutritional value is not much worse than ginseng. For those pregnant women who have just finished giving birth, taking milk ginseng can promote lactation, or promote lactation if there is not enough milk. In addition, internal ginseng is especially suitable for cooking pig's feet.